Update the Mint ISO files

I have today, (Aug 3, 2010), installed Linux Mint 9 on to a friends laptop that had been running Mint 7. The DVD I used had been created from a recently downloaded iso image from the mirror in the UK. Once installed there were over 200 odd updates to install.

Would it be possible to update these images with the current updates say once or twice throughout the six month release cycle? Obviously, this would be longer for the LTS versions.

This would result in a more stable version on install and a more reliable Live CD/DVD experience.

Over the years I have noted that the update activity is greater at the beginning of the current release, then reducing as the release beds in over the release cycle so, hopefully, this activity need not be undertaken too often.

Good point RayWoods
Create so called point releases in LTS versions to ensure that the LTS version works on newer hardware and doesn't necessary have to download a huge amount of updates when freshly installed.

While this would be a good idea, and convenient, the problem is the time it takes just to make the iso images, and the resources required to do so. When a new version is released, we are already a little bit behind Ubuntu, which Mint is based off of, and then we are working ideas for the next release already, and in a 6 month release cycle, there really isn't much time to work on the next release, and make new iso images for the current one.

I think, in the case of Long Term Support versions this proposition still stands as the ISO file will be way out of date once they are mothballed. Let's face it Mint 5, from Spring 2008, has just come to the end of its life. (April 25, 2011.)

Linux Mint would need more developers to make it happen
Volunteers could do that and submit the ISOS to Clem
for quality control. Am i a volunteer? No, because i wouldn't
know how to deal with the business.

or it would be nice to have a checkbox for updating the sys while installing. its always an additional step after the install which could be combusted. like the dvd-upgrade. or checkboxes for the programs, you would have installed like gnome-movie or totem or vlc- check the box, and you just install the componets, you need. (i will open this text as an new idea!)

I totally agree with you, especially the last definitive update for an iso about to leave the "safe" world of regular maintenance. Perhaps we should look to three monthly intervals for the current editions (and LTS versions) and a last update for the rest, as they go into retirement.

Updating the LTS ISO makes the most sense. I think, if the others were also to have updates of the ISO files, it might be best to limit it to once, about halfway through the release cycle. Would a "final" update when the release is about to go out be of use? (That is, you get the older release, but with all the security updates, if you really need the older release for something.)

@m4daredsun - A few days ago I discovered Pinguy OS, another operating system based on the latest Ubuntu Minimal CD (version 10.04.1) and with the Mint tools (Mint Menu, Mint Update) installed by default.
It may be the ISO you are looking for and a very pleasant surprise for you as it features some implementations for ideas written by the members of this community website that are not implemented yet or rejected by the Linux Mint developers.

An ISO update would be useful. I recently installed Linux Mint from a Live USB I created downloading the most recent ISO. The installation itself took more or less 5 minutes. Update download tool almost half an hour (and my Internet connection is not so slow). During this 30 minutes connected on the Internet, every kind of bad thing could have happened...

I run my Linux Mint from a thumbdrive so I can switch computers. I set up a 3rd partition to keep my permanent files so I can easily update or switch versions, etc. The downside of running from a thumbdrive is you can't do certain updates. An updated iso would insure I have the latest kernel and other critical updates.

I've just put Linux Mint Debian into VirtualBox and it takes longer to update this distribution after the initial installation than the installation took! (Mind you, I suppose this could be because it is a continuously updating, work in progress distribution.)

This is a very good idea. Downloading a fresh ISO and then almost have to download the same amount of updates does nark me a bit. I would also accept an update ISO if you don't want to update the existing and tested ISO. In this way I could update the main version without having to go back online.

This is just the problem with having "out of date" ISO files. Not only do you have suspect functionality but, before you update the system (assuming you can carry out an update) the security door can be wide open too.

This is 'critical', what if there's a big hole in the default security or a bug in the kernel or whatever that means you get owned as soon as you go on the internet, or open an email or browse to a webpage or whatever.

Thanks for your positive comment. The idea of indexing such releases is a good one as well. I'm aware this could be quite a time commitment but, I'm sure it will bring positive benefits for Linux Mint, especially if these updated files are distributed by the World's magazines. Let's face it, not everybody has web access and those people deserve a good clean installation too.

This one is a really great and very necessary idea. We all know there are always some bugs being caught as time passes, and there would not be anything better than, if we come to need reinstalling, having the opportunity to do a really FRESH install with an up-to-date iso. This is even mentioned on Mint User Guide about versions, for exemple, Mint-9, Mint-9.1, Mint-9.2, or something like that.
Perhaps even the implementation of this somewhat "on-the-fly" .iso generation could be "merged" with other ideas of custom .iso download with some pre-selected tweaks.